Urge Governor Newsom to Support First-in-Nation Law
California lawmakers passed a first-in-the-nation bill (SB-961) to require all cars and trucks manufactured or sold in California to give an audio and visual alert to drivers when they’re going more than 10 mph above the speed limit, starting in 2030. Given that at least one-third of traffic deaths in the U.S. involve speeding, this seems pretty reasonable, right?
This is more than a state-specific issue, because as the largest state in the nation, California can set the tone nationally. Learn more about the bill from champions Walk SF & thank you to sponsor CA Senator Scott Wiener.
Whether you live in California or elsewhere, we all have a stake in raising the bar for safety in this nation, which experiences 42,000+ preventable traffic deaths each year and millions more severe injuries.
Governor Newsom: By signing this bill by the September 30, 2024 deadline, you can be a national leader for safe mobility, enabling California to prevent thousands of tragedies each year and inspire nationwide change.
Source: Walk SF
While we know this policy can and should go further (read Vision Zero Network’s thoughts on the power of Intelligent Speed Assistance, ISA), this is an important first step that will help curb dangerous speeds at the source. The U.S. lags behind counterparts around the world who already require this life-saving technology in vehicles. And most people in the U.S. already support the idea. More than 60% of drivers report they would find it acceptable if their vehicle provided an audible and visual warning when they exceeded the posted speed limit, according to a recent national survey from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
“We can no longer pretend this is an unsolvable problem,” said IIHS Senior Research Scientist Ian Reagan, who designed the survey. “With the technologies we have now, we could stop virtually all speeding and eliminate speeding tickets to boot. Instead, we seem to be going the opposite direction, with adaptive cruise control and partial automation systems that allow drivers to peg their speed at 90 mph if they want.”
While this kind of vehicle safety work should be led by the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA), the federal agency has been asleep at the wheel, so far on this one. Enter California, which has an unprecedented opportunity to prioritize the safety of its residents and visitors by integrating this proven safety technology.
Infrastructure and enforcement are essential. But they can only protect us so much… SB961 is a smart, well-thought-out effort that could force automakers to do more to save lives. Change has to start somewhere. Now is such a chance for California.
SF Chronicle Editorial Board, July 27, 2024
Did you know that the standard practice of including seat belts in all vehicles today started as a state-level effort? In 1961, Wisconsin became the first state to mandate front row seat belts in vehicles. The life-saving rule spread to other states, eventually becoming a federal requirement. Today, seat belts save an estimated 15,000 lives each year, according to Consumer Affairs.
The share of traffic fatalities experienced by those outside vehicles continues to decrease. Source: Dangerous by Design
Unlike seat belts, which are important to protect the safety of people inside vehicles, the proven speed limiting technology available today also protects people outside vehicles. And as the numbers of people hit and killed or injured while walking, biking and riding motorcycles and scooters grows to tragic new heights, this is a policy that will protect all road users, especially those most vulnerable - people traveling outside of cars. As vehicles become larger, heavier, and become increasingly designed to go faster than ever, there isn’t time to wait for harnessing existing technology to encourage safe speeds.
TAKE ACTION by sending a message here urging CA Governor Gavin Newsom to be the leader our nation needs to ensure life-saving technology is used to deter dangerous speeds and prevent tragedies.
Wondering who supports this life-saving bill? Here are just a few of the diverse organizations endorsing SB 961 (partial list):
- AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah
- American Academy Of Pediatrics, California
- America Walks
- AAA / Automobile Club of Southern California
- Families for Safe Streets
- FIA Foundation
- League of American Bicyclists
- National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO)
- National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)
- National Safety Council (NSC)
- Physicians for Social Responsibility
- Safe Routes Partnership
- SPUR
- Vision Zero Network
- Youth Climate Strike Los Angeles
See a longer list of supporters and opponents, as of 8/31/24, and text of the bill.